Corpus Christi and the Mission Churches

Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi)

Given at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark – 21/22 June 2014

Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14-16 Psalm 147:12-15, 19-20 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 John 6:51-58

Introduction

Good morning/ afternoon.  My names are Fr. Deogratias Ekisa.  I am grateful to Rector and the Priests of the Cathedral, for allowing me to speak to you.

A few years ago when I was making an appeal at a parish like this one, I was concerned that because of my foreign accent, the people did not understand my message.  So I asked the Pastor: “Did your people understand my message?”  The Pastor, a nice man, said: “No, I don’t think they understood half of what you said; but they still gave you the money anyway.” I have been practicing to speak more clearly and I hope that today besides being generous, you will also understand what I have to say.

I would like to speak first about today’s feast of Corpus Christi and then secondly about mission work in Uganda.

Scripture and Theology

Today’s Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, traditionally called Corpus Christi, is a special reminder of this most wonderful gift that the Lord Jesus left for his Church on the night before he died.  The Lord wanted to leave us a concrete means of remaining with us, so that every generation of Christians would partake of the fruits of his saving work.  He took bread, gave thanks and gave the bread to his disciples saying: “Take and eat, this is my body.”  And then he took the cup filled with wine, and said: “Take and drink, this is my blood of the new covenant.”  And then he commanded them: “Do this in memory of me.”

For 2000 years the Church has continued to fulfill the command of Our Lord and Saviour, continuing to share the benefits of his saving work for all people.

·        Every Sunday, Catholics gather together to celebrate the Mass, in which, through the hands of the priest, they take bread and wine at the Offertory, they give thanks in the Eucharist Prayer and they share in communion, what is now the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.  And we do this, to tap into the source of salvation, for as St. Paul told us: “The cup of blessing that we bless, is a participation in the blood of Christ and the bread that we break, is a participation in the body of Christ.”

·        The Body and Blood of Jesus are so vital for our salvation, that we take them to the sick and elderly who are not able to come to Mass.  And especially those who are about to die, the Body and Blood of Jesus are given as Viaticum, food for the final part of the journey to heaven.  For as the Lord told us: “whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.”

·        Besides the Mass and communion outside Mass, we also continue to acknowledge the source of our salvation, when we adore the Blessed Sacrament.  We do this by adoring the Body of Christ reposed in the Tabernacle or exposed in the monstrance.  Eucharistic processions and congresses put the spotlight on the central place of the Body and Blood of Christ, the saving sacrifice of Christ that they make present for us today.

Mission Application

The Body and Blood of Christ are just as central for the mission church, as it is for the universal Church.  But the mission Church celebrates this gift in ways that respond to our unique needs and with particular problems unique to our situation.

Despite the best efforts of the Church in Uganda, only a small percentage of parishioners attend Mass every Sunday.  About 85% of Ugandans are Christian and about 45% are Catholics.  And so the typical parish in Uganda has about 10,000 parishioners and about 20 mission churches.  Before taking up my current assignment, I was pastor of what would be considered a small parish.  My parish has 4,000 parishioners and 12 mission churches.  Although sometimes I think of myself as superman, I could not celebrate 12 Masses in twelve distant villages on one weekend.  I usually celebrated two or three Masses every weekend and at that rate, the people of the mission Churches have Mass about once every two months.

And yet for them, this occasional visit by the priest is a great treasure.  This is the time when they celebrate the Sacrifice of the Mass and receive the Body and Blood of Christ.  This is also the occasion for me to celebrate the other sacraments, confession before Mass, anointing after Mass and the sacraments celebrated during Mass.  On one occasion I celebrated, in one Mass, a wedding, baptized about 60 children and gave first Holy Communion to about 100 children.  As you can imagine, the Mass was quite long, three hours in fact.  The length was caused not only by the many ceremonies, but also because the homily was rather long; after all, I have to speak about all these sacraments and say the things I need to say for the next two months.  But do not worry about today’s homily; Father advised me that if I spoke less, you would be more generous.

Celebrating communion services is the next best thing for those village communities that are far from the main Church.  The catechist, who not only teaches catechism, but is also like the unofficial pastor of his or her village, usually travels to the main church, to bring back communion to his village for the Sunday communion and scripture service.  He also brings communion to the sick in his village, when the priest cannot come to them.

Unfortunately, the devotion to the Blessed Sacrament in adoration can only take place at the main Churches, which have a tabernacle and exposition only in those few parishes that might have a monstrance.

Mission Appeal

I come to you today, to appeal for your help, so that we can carry out the mission of the Church.  Your donation in today’s second collection will help us ensure that more people can receive the Body and Blood of Christ, as well as have their other needs met.  Let me give you a few examples of what we do with your help.

1.    Your donation of $100 enables us to buy a bicycle for a catechist to travel back and forth from his village and main parish church.  Your donation of $2,000 enables us to buy a small motorbike for priest to minister to all his parishioners, even those in far flung off villages of his parish.

2.    Your donation of $50 to $100 a month enables us to pay for our young men who are studying for the priesthood.  When these young men are eventually ordained, we currently have about 50 of them, they will reduce the ratio of parishioners to priest, which is currently about 10,000 to one, to a much more manageable number – so that parishioners have closer and more regular access to Mass and the sacraments.

3.    Many of our village churches could soon become full-fledged parishes, if we have more priests, but also if we can put up a church-building.  Our pleasant tropical weather allows us to build a small village church for as little as $10,000.

There are many more things we do, such as providing clean drinking water, running schools and clinics, in short, providing also for the material needs of our people, like the Lord provided manna for the people of Israel in the desert.  For when our people pray the Lord’s Prayer and ask: “Give us this Day, our daily bread,” they are asking not just for the Body and Blood of Christ, they are also asking that the Lord meet their basic needs of food, medicine, education and shelter.  You can see how we attempt to meet these all these needs in the photographs displayed in the narthex or speak to me after Mass.

Conclusion

But the photographs alone and even my words are not enough to show you how much of a difference, your generous donations make in the lives of the people in Uganda.  And that is why I am extending an invitation to you to come and visit us in Uganda.  I promise we shall not put you to work, unless you want to.

·        But you will have the opportunity to pray with parishioners in a small village church, whose roof has been put on with your help.

·        You will see school children running up and about in the sisters’ school, happy to have an education and promise of a bright future, thanks to you.

·        You will see the mothers who have brought their sick children to our parish clinic, relieved that their children are getting some medical care, at a clinic built and supported with your help.

I would like to end by asking you for the most important thing, your prayers.  Please pray for the safety and success of the work of the missionaries throughout the world and in Uganda in particular.  This work belongs to God and that is why we must ask God to help us.  I also promise you the grateful prayers of the Ugandan people, whose lives are made a little better, thanks to your help.  Thank you again for your warm hospitality and welcome.  May God continue to bless you.